Refrigerating apparatus



Dec. 29, 1931. w. c. HOLBROOK 1,838,098

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed July 31, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 WM M k INVENTOR I W MM+ FM AATTORNYEYS Dec. 29, 1931. w. CHOLBROOK 1,838,098

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed July 31, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet. a

WM C. Wank INVENTOR BY Q ww, #MM+ I 1 AITORNEYS Dec. 29, 1931. wQc. HOLBROOK 1,838,098

' REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Fil ed July 31, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 C. C J uJ .Z;ifl.6

M24 L". W MENTOR BY .W,MM +5 0 AITORNEYS Patented Dec. 29, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM C. HO'L'BROOK, OF DAYTON, OHIO, 'ASSIGNOR TO FRIGIDAIRE CORPORATION, OF

DAYTON, OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE anrmemm'rme urm'n'ros Application filed July 81,

This invention relates to refrigerating inet paratus and more articularly to the ca structure of the re rigerating apparatus.

An object of this invention is to provide a cabinet of the domestic mechanical refrigerating type which cabinet is provided with a metal framework.

Another object of the invention is to provide a supporting structure for the interlor parts of the refrigerator cabinet that shall be both strong andyet graceful in outline.

Another object of the invention is to provide a metal framework and framework parts that are very strong and yet without bulk.

Further objects of the present inventlon will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred-form of the invention is clearly shown.

. unnecessary wood elements.

In the drawings:

' Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a preferred form .of frame work for a refrigerator cabinet.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the bars or irons of the frame work before belng put in shape.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the bar of Fig. 2 with its end bifurcated.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a corner piece of the frame formed preferably by three members with their bifurcated ends as disclosed in Fig. 3 butt welded together.

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross section of a cabinet embodying features of this invention. Fig. 6 is a vertical cross section of the cablnet taken transversely to that of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal cross sectional vlew taken on line.77 of Fig. 5.

Due to the scarcity of wood and also to its moisture absorbing properties it is highly desirable to eliminate from the construction of cabinets used for refrigerating apparatus It has hitherto work parts of a refrigerating apparatus.

- Accordingly it is one of the objects of this invention to substitute a'metallic frame work "for the wooden framework of the prior art.

1929. Serial 170. 388,461.

tain wood structure on account of its excellent combination of insulation and strength at such places where such combination is.

highly desirable, such as the door j ambs.

While metal parts are used in the frame work it is desirable that they should have considerable strength without bulkiness or costly assembling operations. Accordingly it is another object of this invention to provide a metal framework that will not only be strong but which will lso be easy to assemble and one upon which can be assembled a cabinet graceful in outline.

A cabinet embodying features of this invention may comprise a'frame work composed of the elements or members 10 to 21 inclusive which will be of a construction and assemblage to be more fully described hereinafter. This cabinet may be provided with a door jamb of strong non-conducting material such as wood and generally designated as 22. Secured within the frame work may be abox like sheet metal food compartment lining 23 which may be provided with a door openlng generally designated as 24. The

Within the food compartment may be placed a cooling unit 27 of a mechanical refrigerating system and this cooling unit may be an evaporator provided with a flo. t valve control and with a refrigerating liquefying unit such for instance as that described in the patent to R. G. Osborn 1556,708 issued October 13, 1925.

If desired the evaporator 27 may be partly enclosed by a partition 28 secured to the sides of the lining. This partition may be altho not necessarily of the type disclosed in the application of Francis E. Stevenson S/N 257,999 filed Feb. 29, 1928. Under the evaporator may be placed a drain pan 29 and a drain pipe 30 leading to a loop 31 and discharging into a pan 32 slidably supported on brackets 33.

If desired the lining 23 having been secured to the door jamb 22 which is in turn firmly fastened to the front part of the metal frame work, the outer surface of the lining may be coated with bituminous cement such as is known in the trade by the name of hydrolene. While the surface is still hot the sides of insulation 35 which may be cork board or rock cork may be'applied to the lining and are thus cemented thereto when the cement cools. After the insulation has been secured to all of the sides or lining or while it is being secured the outer surface of insulation may be rendered substantially air tight as by placing an air tight cover of hydrolene on the outer surface of the insulation.

The outer panels 36 may be secured in any suitable manner. If the outer panels are steel with a porcelain'enamel coating,it may be desirable to interpose between the panels of the framework a suitable padding 37. This padding may be soft and may be of card board or. of masonite or any other desired type of pliable board. This may be secured to the metal frame work or to the outer coat or hy-- drolene either independently of the panels or by the same means which secures the panels in place. The outer panels may be of any suitable construction and may be if desired of the type shown in the application of Henry P. Braeutigam and Wm C. Holbrook S/N 257,989 filed Feb. 28, 1928, to which reference is made if necessary for a full disclosure of the panels. These panels are all provided with longitudinal flanges and are substan: tially independently removable from the cabinet in the manner disclosed in the said application.

' preferably all of them is bifurcated as disclosed in Fig. 3 by spreading the ends down a portion 40 of its longitudinal direction and thus providing two bifurcated portibns 41, 42. These bifurcated portions 41 and 42 are preferably spread apart so that they are sl ghtly curved away from the longitudinal direction of the member.

Three of these members, preferably similarly blfurcated, are placed with their longitudinal directions substantially 90 from one another as disclosed in Fig. 4. Take for inportion 42 of the member 19.

tion in the frame work at 90 to one another.

The member 11 has one of its bifurcated portions 42 adjacent a bifurcated portion 41' of the member 14 and its other bifurcated portion 41 adjacent the end of the bifurcated Similarly member 14 has its bifurcated portion 42' adjacent the bifurcated portion 41" of the member 19. These three members are joined together by means of their adjacent portions and a preferred joint between them is that of butt welding each bifurcated portion to the adjacent bifurcated portion of the adjacent member as disclosed in Fig. 4.

In this manner the members 11, 14 and 19 are structurally integral united and any strain or stress upon one member will be resisted by the other members. For instance any shock delivered upwardly along the member 11 will be divided along the bifurcated portions 41 and 42" and communicated to the members 14 and 19 as least partly longitudinal of the material and thus be resisted more than if it was merely communicated transversely to the members 14 and 19.

The front panels 44 of the cabinet are preferably curved as at 45 in a curve substantially similar to the curved part 38 of the vertical corner posts 10 and 11. Furthermore the side panels are also curved as at 46 similar to the curve on the rear vertical corner posts 12 and 13. This curving of both the frame work and the outer panels makes a very graceful as well as strong construction of the refrigerator cabinet.

It is obvious that any changes could be made in the construction of the preferred form without departing from the spirit of the invention. While the metal framework as disclosed in Fig. 1 is preferably composed of members or barsbutt welded to one another at their ends it might be preferable to use three short members such as the end portions of 11, 14 and 19 disclosed'in Fig. 4 and butt welded or otherwise connect these into the strong but light and graceful joint disclosed. After this corner piece has been formed the longer connecting bars extending from one corner to another may be welded or otherwise secured to these shorter corner members. While this construction may require an additional welding or riveting yet it might be preferred from a quantity production standpoint as it would probably take less skill in assembling a small group of connecting bars and corner pieces than to make a unit assembly as disclosed in Fig. 1.

Accordingly there has been disclosed a refrigerator cabinet having a very graceful butlight and strong supporting structure for lts interior elements. Furthermore the corners of the frame work are such that they are fully adapted to withstand any shock or blow and to structurally resist this shock or blow in a manner superior to the usual 90- corner construction. The correspondingly shaped outer panels also add to the grace of the assemblage.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a pre ferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows. 1. A frame for refrigerating cabinets com- 1 prising a plurality of transversely curved angle iron members with their longitudinal directions substantially at right angles to one other, said angle iron members being bifurcated, the bifurcated portions of said mem- 2 bers being bent towards the bifurcated portions of other members and attached thereto. 2. A three way corner piece for refrigerating cabinets comprising a' plurality of transversely curved members with their longitudinal directions substantially at right angles to one another, said members being bifurcated, the bifurcated portions of said members being bent towards the bifurcated portions of other members and attached 3 thereto.

' 3. A refrigerator cabinet including a metal" frame work comprising a plurality of horizontally disposed metal members, a plurality v of vertically disposed metal members, some of said members being bifurcated, the bifurcated portions of said members being transversely bent towards the other of said members and attached thereto to form a curved corner. 40 In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my signature.

WILLIAM G. HOLBROOK. 

